Tennis Rules
The Rules of Tennis
First of, let us go over the scoring system. The sport of tennis uses the love scoring system:
1. A tennis match consists of three sets of six games.
2. A set is completed when a player has won six games and leads an opponent by two games.
3. The first player to win two out of three sets wins the match.
4. The score of each game goes from love, 15, 30, 40, then game point with a score of 0 being love. This means that the first player to win a point gets 15 love, then his/her second point gives her 30 and so on.
5. The player to reach game point first earns that game point.
6. In the event that both players are tie at 40-40, also known as a deuce, one player must win by two points or 30 love. This is also called the advantage scoring system. For example, a deuce has occurred, player A wins the next point. If player A is also the server, he/she has an advantage-in as opposed to advantage-out if his/her opponent is the one leading. If player A wins the next point, player A will get the game point. But if player B wins the next point, then both players go back to deuces.
Note: A tennis match is different from a tennis game and a tennis set. Simply put:
* 60 love= 1 game (a game is also known as a break point)
* 6 games= 1 set
* 3 sets= 1 match
In one tennis game, you can earn 15 love by the following ways:
* If your opponent fails to return your serves/shots into your court. Note: The ball is still in play if it lands on the sidelines or the baselines.
* If your opponent fails to return your serves/shots over the net.
* If your opponent fail to serve twice the ball inside your serve box. This is also called a double fault.
TENNIS RULES
Intramural Modifications
A. Matches composes of three sets with six games in each set.
B. Conventional advantage scoring will be used.
C. A play must win at least six games and lead by at least two games to win a set.
D. If a set reaches six games tie, a 7out-of-12 points tiebreaker will be play.
1. The Tennis Court
An official tennis court should be 78 feet (23.77 m) long and 27 feet (8.23 m) wide. It must be divided across the middle with a net suspended from a cord or metal cable of a diameter of one-third of an inch (0.8 cm), the ends of which should be attached to, or pass over, the tops of two posts, which should be no more than 6 inches (15 cm) square or 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter. These posts must not be taller than 1 inch (2.5 cm)
above net cord. The centres of the posts should be 3 feet (.914 m) outside the Court on each side and the height of the posts should be such that the top of the cord or metal cable should be 3 feet 6 inches (1.07 m) above the ground.
2. Permanent Fixtures
The permanent fixtures of the Court should include not only the post, singles sticks, posts, the net, cord or metal cable, strap and band, but also, where there are any such, the back and side stops, the stands, fixed or movable seats and chairs round the Court, and their occupants, all other fixtures around and above the Court, and the Umpire, Net-cord Judge, Footfault Judge, Linesmen and Ball Boys when in their respective places.
3. The Ball
Balls that are approved for play under the Rules of Tennis must adhere to the following specifications:
a. The ballmust have a uniform outer surface consisting of a fabric cover and shall be yellow or white in color. If there are any seams they shall be stitchless.
b. The ball should meet the requirements specified in Appendix I (Regulations for making tests specified in Rule 3.), Section iv for size and be at least1.975 ounces (56.0 grams) and at most 2.095 ounces (59.4 grams) in weight.
4. The Racquet
All racquetsmust be specified to the following rules to be approved for play in an official tennis game:
a. The hitting surface of the racquet should be flat and consists of crossed strings with patterns connected to a frame and alternately interlaced or bonded where they cross. The stringing pattern should be uniform throughout the entire surface. This means no area should be less dense in the center than in any other area. Theracquet must be strung and designed such that the playing characteristics are the same on both surfaces. The strings shall be free of attached objects and protrusions except those utilized solely and specifically to limit vibration or to ease wear and tear, and which are reasonable in size and placement for such purposes.
b. The frame of the racquet shall not exceed 29 inches (73.66 cm) in overall length, including the handle. The frame of the racquetshall not exceed 121/2 inches (31.75 cm) in overall width. The hitting surface shall not exceed 151/2 inches (39.37 cm) in overall length, and 111/2 inches (29.21 cm) in overall width.
c. The frame, including the handle, shall be free of attached objects and devices other than those utilized solely and specifically to limit or prevent wear and tear or vibration, or to distribute weight. Any objects and devices must be reasonable in size and placement for such purposes.
d. The frame, including the handle and the strings, shall be free of any device which makes it possible to change materially the shape of the racquet, or to change the weight distribution in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the racquetwhich would alter the swing moment of inertia, or to deliberately change any physical property which may affect the performance of the racquet during the playing of a point. No energy source that in any way changes or affects the playing characteristics of a racquet may be built into or attached to a racquet.
5. Server & Receiver
Player must stand on opposite sides of the net. The player to first hit the ball into the opponents serve court is called the server and the opponent is called the reciever.
6. Choice of Ends & Service
The choice of ends and the right to be the Server or Receiver in the first game shall be decided by a coin toss. The player who wins the coin toss can choose or decide for his opponent to choose from:
a. The right to be the Server or Receiver, in which case the other player should choose the end; or
b. The end, in which case the other player should choose the right to be the Server or Receiver.
7. The Service
The service should follow certain orders and rules. It should be delivered in the following manner: Immediately before commencing to serve, the Server needs to stand with both feet behind the base-line, and within the imaginary continuations of the side-line and centre-mark . The Server can then toss the ball by hand into the air in any direction and hit it with his/her racquet before the ball hits the ground, and the delivery is deemed completed at the moment the racquet and the ball made contact. A player with the use of only one arm may utilize his racket for the speed, power, direction, etc. of the ball.
8. Foot Fault
Completing the Service without fault:
a. Not touch with either foot any area other than that behind the base-line, or cross-over, or stepping-in, within the imaginary extensions of the centre-mark and side-lines.
b. Not change his position by running or walking. The Server shall not run or walk from side to side to deceive the opponent, but needs to stay at the location originally stood.
9. Delivery of Service
a. In delivering the service, the Server shall stand alternately behind the right and left halves of the Court beginning from the right in every game. If service from a wrong half of the Court occurs and is undetected, all play resulting from such wrong service or services shall stand, but the inaccuracy of station shall be corrected immediately it is discovered.
b. The ball served shall pass over the net and hit the ground within the Service Court which is diagonally
10. Service Fault
The Service is a fault:
a. If he misses the ball in attempting to strike it;
b. If the Server commits any of Rules 7, 8 or 9(b);
c. If the ball served touches a permanent fixture (other than the net, strap or band) before it hits the ground.
11. Second Service
After a first fault the Server shall serve again with the same rules applied from first serve, unless the service was from the wrong half, when, in accordance with Rule 9, the Server
shall be entitled to one service only from behind the other half.
12. When to Serve
The Server should only serve when the Receiver is ready. If the opponent attempts to return the service, he is perceived to be ready. However, if the Receiver shows that he is not ready, he may not claim a fault because the ball does not hit the ground within the time to get ready for the service.
13. The “Let”
In any cases where a let has to be proclaimed under the rules, or to provide for an interruption to play, it should have the following interpretations:
a. When called mainly in respective of a service that one service only shall be replayed.
b. When called under any other circumstance, the point shall be replayed.
14. The Let in Service
A service is considered to be a let only in the following situation:
a. If the served ball touches the strap, net or band, and is still good, or, after contacting the net, strap or band, touches the Receiver or anything he carries before hitting the ground.
b. If the server starts the serve when the receiver is not ready(see Rule 12).
In case of a let, that particular service does not count as a fault, and the Server shall serve again, but a service let does
not annul a previous fault.
15. Order of Service
At the end of the first game or break point, the server will become the receiver and the receiver will become the server. If a player serves out of turn, the player who should have served will get to serve as soon as the error is discovered and all points played before the discovery will stand. A fault served before such discovery will not stand. If a game is completed before such discovery, the order of service will remain as altered.
16. When Players Change Ends
The players must change ends of the court at the end of the first, third and every subsequent alternate game of each set, and at the end of each set unless the total number of games in such set is even, in which case the change is not made until the end of the first game of the next set. If a mistake is made because the correct sequence is not followed the players return to their correct station as soon as the discovery is made and engage in their original sequence.
17. The Ball in Play
A ball is in play from the point at which it is served. Unless a fault or a let is called it in
play until the winner of the point is decided.
18. Server Wins the Point
The Server wins the point only by the following instances:
a. If the ball served, not being a let, touches the Receiver or anything of his clothing articles, before it hits the ground;
b. If the Receiver otherwise loses the point under Rule 20.
19. Receiver Wins the Point
The Receiver wins the point only by the following instances:
a. If the Server serves two faults in a role;
b. If the Server otherwise loses the point under Rule 20.
20. Player Loses the Point
A player loses the point only under the following circumstances:
a. He fails to return the ball before it hits the ground twice, before the ball in play has hit the ground twice.
(except as provided in Rule 24(a) or (c)); or
b. His returned ball hits anything including fence, posts, and ground outside of the opponent’s court(except as provided in Rule 24(a) or (c)); or
c. He volleys the ball and fails to make a good return even when standing outside the Court; or
d. He purposely catches or carries the ball on his racket or deliberately touches it with his
racquet more than once; or
e. He or his racquetor anything which he carries or wears touches the posts, the net,
the singles sticks, the cord or the metal cable, the strap or the band, or the ground within his opponent’s Court at any time while the ball is in play; or
f. If the player volleys the ball before it goes past the net; or
g. The ball in play touches him or anything that he carries or wears, except his racket in his hand(s);
21. Player Hinders Opponent
If a player does anything to hinder his opponent from making a stroke, then, if this is deliberate, he shall lose the point or if involuntary, the point shall be replayed.
22. Ball Falls on Line
A ball falling on a line is considered as falling in the Court bounded by that line.
23. Ball Touches Permanent Fixtures
If the ball in play touches a permanent fixture (other than the net, posts, singles sticks, cord or metal cable, strap or band) after it has hit the ground, the player who struck it wins the point; if before it hits the ground, his opponent wins the point.
24. A Good Return
It is a good return:
a. If the ball touches the net, posts, singles sticks, cord or metal cable, strap or band, provided that it passes over any of them and hits the ground within the Court; or
b. If the ball, served or returned, hits the ground within the proper Court and rebounds or is blown back over the net, and the player whose turn it is to strike reaches over the net and plays the ball, provided that he does not contravene Rule 20(e); or
c. If the ball is returned outside the posts, or singles sticks, either above or below the level of the top to the
net, even though it touches the posts or singles sticks, provided that it hits the ground within the proper
Court; or
d. If a player’s racket passes over the net after he has returned the ball, provided the ball passes the net before being played and is properly returned; or
e. If a player succeeds in returning the ball, served or in play, which strikes a ball lying in the Court.
25. Hindrance of a Player
In case a player is hindered in making a stroke by anything not within his control, except a permanent fixture of the Court, or except as provided for in Rule 21, a let shall be called.
26. Score in a Game
a. If a player wins his first point, the score is called 15 for that player; on winning his second point, the score is called 30 for that player; on winning his third point, the score is called 40 for that player, and the fourth point won by a player is scored game for that player except as below:
If both players have won three points, the score is called deuce; and the next point won by a player is scored advantage for that player. If the same player wins the next point, he wins the game; if the other player wins the next point the score is again called deuce; and so on, until a player wins the two points immediately following the score at deuce, when the game is scored for that player.
b. Optional Alternative Scoring System
The No-Ad System of Scoring may be adopted as an alternative to the traditional scoring system in paragraph
(a) of this Rule provided the decision is announced in advance of the event. In this case, the following Rules shall be effective:
If a player wins his first point, the score is called 15 for that player; on winning his second point, the score is called 30 for that player; on winning his third point, the score is called 40 for that player, and the fourth point won by a player is scored game for that player except as below: If both players have won three points, the score is called deuce; one deciding point shall then be played. The receiver shall choose whether he wishes to receive the service from the right-half of the court or the left-half of the court. The player who wins the deciding point is
scored the game.
27. Score in a Set
a. A player (or players) who first wins six games wins a set; except that he must win by a margin of two games over his opponent and where necessary a set shall be extended until this margin is achieved.
b. The tie-break system of scoring may be adopted as an alternative to the advantage set system in paragraph (a) of this Rule provided the decision is announced in advance of the match.
Singles
i. A player who first wins seven points shall win the game and the set provided he leads by a margin of two points. If the score reaches six points all the game shall be extended until this margin has been achieved. Numerical scoring shall be used throughout the tie-break game.
ii. The player whose turn it is to serve shall be the Server for the first point. His opponent shall be the Server for the second and third points and thereafter each player shall serve alternately for two consecutive points until the winner of the game and set has been decided.
iii. From the first point, each service shall be delivered alternately from the right and left Courts, beginning from the right Court. If service from a wrong half of the Court occurs and is undetected, all play resulting from such wrong service or services shall stand, but the inaccuracy of station shall be corrected immediately it is discovered.
iv. Players shall change ends after every six points and at the conclusion of the tie-break game.
v. The tie-break game shall count as one game for the ball change, except that, if the balls are due to be changed at the beginning of the tie-break, the change shall be delayed until the second game of the following set.
Doubles
In doubles the procedure for singles shall apply. The player whose turn it is to serve shall be the Server for the first point. Thereafter each player shall serve in rotation for two points, in the same order previously in that set, until the winners of the game and set have been decided.
Rotation of Service
The player (or pair in the case of doubles) whose turn it was to serve first in the tie-break game shall receive service in the first game of the following set.
28. Maximum Number of Sets
A match can be played to the best of 3 sets (the player/team needs to win 2 sets to win the match) or to the best of 5 sets (the player/team needs to win 3 sets to win the match).
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
1. No animals in indoor/outdoor facilities. (Exception: Assisted living animals)
2. Forfeit Policy:
If a team does not have the minimum number of players to start a contest at the scheduled time, they will be given 10 minutes to secure the correct number before the game is declared a forfeit. The Sport Assistant will declare a forfeit and award a “win” to the team that is ready to play with the correct number of players after they have properly entered their team on the scorecard. If neither team is ready to play with the minimum number of players after the 10-minute forfeit period then both teams will receive a forfeit. A team that does not have the minimum number of players after the 10-minute forfeit period shall forfeit the game. Example: game time is at 6pm, the game will be declared a forfeit at 6:10pm. In all cases
the game must remain within the time period allotted, this means that the game clock will start at the time the game is scheduled to be played so that the 10 minutes will be deducted from normal playing time.A team must start and continue the game with the minimum number of players as stated in the rules for that sport or a forfeit will be declared. A team may receive a forfeit due to improper team attire. Teams found to have ineligible players in the game or on the game roster may forfeit that game, depending upon time of discovery and the player’s effect on the game’s outcome. Any Intramural Staff may assess forfeits for the use of an ineligible player or for player/spectator misconduct.
3. Forfeit Penalties:
Lose right to protest the game
All possession in a jump ball situation go to the opposing team
Start the game with a 10-point deficit
DOUBLES
33. The Doubles Game
All of Rules 1-32 shall apply to the Doubles Game except as so noted in rules 34-40.
34. The Doubles Court
For the Doubles Game, the court shall be 36 feet (10.97m.) in width, i.e. 41/2 feet (1.37m.) wider on each side than the Court for the Singles Game, and those portions of the singles side-lines which lie between the two service-lines shall be called the service side-lines. In other respects, the Court shall be similar to that described in Rule 1, but the portions of the singles side-lines between the base-line and service-line on each side of the net may be omitted if desired.
35. Order of Service in Doubles
The order of serving shall be decided at the beginning of each set as follows:
The pair who have to serve in the first game of each set shall decide which partner shall do so and the opposing pair shall decide similarly for the second game. The partner of the player who served in the first game shall serve in the third; the partner of the player who served in the second game shall serve in the fourth, and so on in the same order in all the subsequent games of a set.
36. Order of Receiving in Doubles
The order of receiving the service shall be decided at the beginning of each set as follows:
The pair who have to receive the service in the first game shall decide which partner shall receive the first service, and that partner shall continue to receive the first service in every odd game throughout that set. The opposing pair shall likewise decide which partner shall receive the first service in the second game and that partner shall continue to receive the first service in every even game throughout that set. Partners shall receive the service alternately throughout each game.
37. Service out of Turn in Doubles
If a partner serves out of his turn, the partner who ought to have served shall serve as soon as the mistake is discovered, but all points scored, and any faults served before such discovery, shall be reckoned. If a game shall have been completed before such discovery, the order of service remains as altered.
38. Error in Order of Receiving in Doubles
If during a game the order of receiving the service is changed by the Receivers it shall remain as altered until the end of the game in which the mistake is discovered, but the partners shall resume their original order of receiving in the next game of that set in which they are Receivers of the service.
39. Service Fault in Doubles
The service is a fault as provided for by Rule 10, or if the ball touches the Server’s partner or anything which he wears or carries; but if the ball served touches the partner of the Receiver, or anything which he wears or carries, not being a let under Rule 14(a) before it hits the ground, the Server wins the point.
40. Playing the Ball in Doubles
The ball shall be struck alternately by one or other player of the opposing pairs, and if a player touches the ball in play with his racket in contravention of this Rule, his opponents win the point.
Source: The University of Arizona Campus Department of Campus Recreation
http://campusrec.arizona.edu/intra/rules.html
